


Children are like cats

by ximeria



Series: 2014 Fic-A-Week (all the XMFC AUs) [14]
Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Still Have Powers, M/M, Pre-Relationship, School
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-06
Updated: 2014-04-06
Packaged: 2018-01-18 09:16:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1422748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ximeria/pseuds/ximeria
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A scene out of a day at the school - children are like cats in the way that if you ignore them, they'll seek you out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Children are like cats

**Author's Note:**

> Strictly speaking this should probably go as a chapter for "Fork in the road", but being the control freak I am, I know this would bugger up the numbering of weeks - and as this is mainly done as a writing exercise with a fic/vignette a week - it takes precedence.

Charles followed the sleepy signatures of familiar minds. Down the hallway, into the smaller library - the one he was fairly partial to himself when he wanted a little time away from people.

Which wasn't something he could do very often. It seemed since he'd opened the school, one small disaster after the other happened. It really shouldn't have surprised him - considering that all the pupils were young, often recently manifested mutants - a rather explosive combination. Not just metaphorically, unfortunately.

He'd only just finished helping with the clean up after Ororo's mishap in the hallway. She'd been devastated by her slip and that of course hadn't helped stop the torrents of rain. Maybe he should worry about her being in the library, but there were no signs of her being upset any more - judging from her thought pattern, she was fast asleep.

Leaning against the open doorway, Charles raised an eyebrow. When he'd put an add in the paper for help, he'd expected to get maybe a groundskeeper a general DIY person - someone who could tend to the school's general needs for repairs. In the past Charles had used out of state agencies and blurred their memories afterwards. Which really was not what he wanted, but in most cases a necessity.

When the third applicant to his add turn up on his doorstep, mind bright the way that mutants always were to him Charles had counted himself lucky.

Charles had quite possibly managed to freak Erik out a little on that first day, but the man was capable of finding his feet in just about any situation it seemed. It had been two months and while Erik had told him from day one that he wasn't fond of children, that he'd do what needed to be done around the house, but that was it. He wasn't a babysitter.

Looking at the couch right that very moment, Charles didn't even try to fight the smile threatening to break out. The couch built into the window area was just long enough to accommodate Erik's frame and more than wide enough to make a secure place to sleep for him - even with Ororo sleeping against him. Her little hands were gripping tightly onto the wine red t-shirt Erik was wearing, which had enticingly slipped up enough for Charles to catch a glimpse of white skin.

Tamping down on his own attraction, Charles walked over to grab the blanket that was folded on one of the chairs. Carefully, he unfolded it and put it over the two sleeping figures.

He had worried about Ororo when she'd arrived. She'd been quiet and withdrawn, finding the other children overly loud at first. Which they were - and she hadn't been accustomed to being around children her own age - hadn't been used to a childhood of playing and being carefree. He wasn't overly surprised that she would gravitate towards someone like Erik, who could seem so stern, and quiet - very much the polar opposite of most of the school's other inhabitants.

Turning to leave, Charles took a last look and met Erik's now open eyes. The stern look was ruined by the overall picture, but Charles had stopped finding Erik intimidating quite quickly after he'd walked through the door of the school..

_'I'm available for chess tonight,'_ Charles let him know, as he had every night since he'd learned that Erik did indeed know how to play. He expected to be shot down as he had every time he'd asked, but Erik shut his eyes and shifted his arm to secure Ororo's slight frame a little better.

_'I'll come find you when everything's quiet.'_

A thrill of excitement shot through Charles. Once again he was sure he'd done the right thing in hiring Erik. Now if he could just eventually get Erik involved in the school in general instead of simple maintenance. Of course, that would have to be his own choice. Every urge to push had to be curbed, however hard it might seem.

Still smiling, Charles turned away from the door and walked back towards the din that signalled the majority of the pupils' whereabouts. He'd give Erik the time he needed - for now he'd count the agreement to a game of chess as a win.


End file.
